Remembering J. Paul Lomio, Director of Law School library

J. Paul Lomio, the director of the Robert Crown Law Library, passed away on Friday, March 6, 2015. He is survived by his wife, Sharon Inouye, and their daughter, Rita Lomio. The Law School will hold a celebration of life event on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 3:00 p.m.

“Paul was an extraordinary leader of the library, and he assembled a truly amazing staff,” said M. Elizabeth Magill, Dean and Richard E. Lang Professor of Law. “Paul had a single-minded vision for the library. He constantly thought about helping each and every library user, and he had the uncanny ability to identify what his users needed even before they did. Under Paul’s influence and leadership, that ethic pervades the entire staff. Paul was also a wonderful human being who, in his time here, changed our community for the better in thousands of ways. We are all mourning his loss.”

Lomio was born in 1950 in Schenectady, New York. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from St. Bonaventure University in 1972 before serving in the U.S. Army as a platoon leader until 1975 at Nike Hercules batteries in Fort Story, Virginia and Camp Holiday, South Korea. He went on to earn a law degree from Gonzaga University in 1978 and a master’s degree in law from the University of Washington School of Law in 1979. He was admitted to the Washington State Bar Association in 1978 and served as a guardian-ad-litem for the King County Juvenile Court and clerked for Judge T. Patrick Corbett of the King County Superior Court in Seattle in 1980. He went on to earn a master’s degree in library science in 1982 from the School of Library and Information Science at Catholic University of America.

Lomio joined the law school staff as a reference librarian in 1982 and, in 2005, then-Dean Larry Kramer named him director of the library. Over the course of a career spanning more than three decades, he became a specialist in legal research and the development of digital reserves—and much more.

“I had the opportunity to do a great many things when I was dean, but I would say—as I often did—that making Paul the director of our library was unquestionably the single best decision I ever made,” said Larry Kramer, president of The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and dean of Stanford Law School from 2004 to 2012. “Paul was a consummate professional who took the library out of a deep deficit and remade it into an incredibly effective institution. But more than that, Paul was a wonderful human being who thought about people and did his utmost to improve their lives. This was true for students, for faculty, for alumni, and for his staff. He touched so many of us in wonderful and memorable ways.”

Lomio led a library team that was the envy of law schools throughout the country—his knowledge and enthusiasm for the work were contagious.

“Paul was a librarian’s librarian,” said Erika Wayne, deputy director of the Law Library. “He was the best mentor and boss. He had this amazing ability to remember all of your interests, and he would leave you books or articles. And he made the library so welcoming, introducing things like the bicycle borrowing program.”

Along with overseeing the library’s collection, Lomio spearheaded moves to bring the library’s holdings into the digital age. Key to his success was his willingness to embrace technology and understand the importance of data.

Lomio played a prominent role in helping launch the library’s earliest online initiative, the Women’s Legal History Biography Project, developed in collaboration with Barbara Babcock, the Judge John Crown Professor of Law, Emerita. The site features biographical chapters and archival information on hundreds of pioneering female lawyers in the United States.

“The qualities that made Paul a great person were also the ones that made him exceptional at his work,” said Babcock. “Above all, he was kind and caring; he was intellectually curious and enthusiastic about new ideas, utterly reliable and amazingly patient. It is hard to imagine the law school without his beneficent, loving presence.”

In 2011, he teamed up with the Rock Center to host the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission’s website, a massive database of the information gathered in the review of the financial crisis of 2008, thus preserving a valuable historical and educational resource for scholars.

“Paul was a sea of calm in a world of chaos,” said Joseph Grundfest, the W. A. Franke Professor of Law and Business, reflecting on the scope of the project. “Nothing ruffled his feathers, and nothing was impossible. It might take a little more time. But, to Paul, it wasn’t impossible.”

Lomio and his colleagues signing the 2008 “Durham Statement on Open Access to Legal Scholarship”

Lomio also played a key role in helping Grundfest to develop the Stanford Securities Class Action Clearinghouse, which provides detailed information relating to the prosecution, defense and settlement of federal class action securities fraud.

“Paul, Erika and the entire library team were absolutely essential to the launch of the Securities Class Action Clearinghouse which, today, might seem quaint, but was a pathbreaking innovation back when introduced in 1996,” said Grundfest. “It helped launch the idea that a library could be much more than a repository of books: it could also be the source of novel databases that would further academic research.” In 1997, the Smithsonian Institution recognized the clearinghouse as a “visionary use of information technology in the field of education and academia.”

For another project, Lomio worked closely with Barbara Fried, the William W. and Gertrude H. Saunders Professor of Law, to build a database of alumni in academia to track the law school’s placement success and put current and future alumni in the field in touch with each other.

“It was a massive undertaking, which took months of hard work by Paul and our wonderful library staff to complete,” said Fried. “For anyone who knew Paul, it goes without saying that the job was done perfectly, without any interference from me. But everyone here has their own Paul stories, too numerous to count. In addition to his perfectionism and work ethic, one of Paul’s secret weapons was that he had radar out all around him. He sought out opportunities to be of help to the faculty, remembered everything any of us had ever worked on and on his own initiative collected clippings and other materials he thought might be of interest to us. It often seemed as if he knew what we needed before we knew it ourselves. He walked softly on this earth, and left everything he touched better than he found it.”

Erika Wayne with Paul Lomio

Lomio and the staff at the Robert Crown Law Library were also concerned with preserving vital historical data, producing a number of prominent online resources such as Election 2000, an award-winning online compendium of more than 600 documents related to court cases in the disputed 2000 presidential election, including the Supreme Court decision on Bush v. Gore. He helped to develop several substantial online bibliographies, including Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, which contains primary materials on the U.S. military’s policy on sexual orientation from World War I to the present, and Same-Sex Marriage: An Annotated Bibliography.

In 2012, historical Superior Court records from hundreds of California’s counties were rescued from destruction by Lawrence M. Friedman, Marion Rice Kirkwood Professor of Law, archived and made accessible to the public by Lomio and his staff. Noting the importance of the work, Friedman said: “Local legal records at the trial court level constitute a vast treasure house of information about the living law of the United States as it evolves over the years. These records are scattered among hundreds of counties; they are almost entirely un-indexed, un-catalogued—and unused except by lawyers interested in particular cases. Thousands of these records are vanishing every year, as counties and states struggle with problems of storage and space.”

Another hallmark of Lomio’s tenure was his keen interest in gaining public access to government documents and his leadership in that effort. In 2010 he helped to launch Law.gov, a group made up of legal scholars and practitioners including staff at the Crown Law Library.

“Law.gov seeks to make public—genuinely public—law from all three branches of government, for the first time ever. This hardly sounds revolutionary, but it is,” he told the Stanford Lawyer at the time. “Under the present system much of primary law is owned by corporations and locked behind pay walls, expensive pay walls at that. Even the government itself is paying large sums for access to its own legal information. Law.gov will make law accessible to everyone. This will force innovation—from the biggest existing players to individuals with visionary ideas who may create new legal research search tools, and more.”

“Paul Lomio was one of the first of the big law librarians to take free law and the Internet seriously,” said Carl Malamud, an activist archivist who advocates for free online access to local, state, and federal documents and the founder and president of the nonprofit Public.Resource.Org. “He helped me and many people I know in so many ways, always quietly and without fuss, but with great impact. He had a deep faith in the ability of citizens to participate in and understand our legal system, teaching generations of law students the skills of legal research but always carrying a deep conviction that this system should be available to all.” Lomio was also one of the original signatories to the 2008 “Durham Statement on Open Access to Legal Scholarship,” which calls for all law schools to stop publishing their journals in print format and to rely instead on electronic publication coupled with a commitment to keep the electronic versions available in stable, open, digital formats.

Lomio made service to the law school community a priority and his work did not go unnoticed. He and his staff twice received the coveted Staff Appreciation Award from graduating law classes, once in 2002 and again in 2006.

An archival family photo

Lomio also received Stanford University’s prestigious Marsh O’Neill Award in 1994, presented to staff in recognition of outstanding contributions to the university’s research mission. He said at the time that he was surprised to learn he had won the award and that the whole reference staff really deserved the recognition. “This award reflects the group that I work with rather than just myself. It’s an excellent team.” In the nomination form one law professor wrote that Lomio “far surpasses the level of service I was accustomed to. . . . He has made innumerable contributions to my own research in an unfailingly resourceful and imaginative way.” Another wrote, “He is so thoroughly imbued with the service ethic of librarianship at its best that he sometimes disappears as a person; but the signs of his activity are unmistakable. Once he learns that a faculty member or student is interested in a topic, he becomes a one-man clipping service.” And yet another wrote, “It is a sign of his dedication to learning (rather than merely to institutional role) that he does this not only for faculty but also for students.”

In addition to leading the library staff, Lomio was also a well-regarded lecturer at the law school, teaching Advanced Legal Research and Directed Research. Students found Lomio and the library welcoming and supportive.

“Paul was always a great supporter of student work, always available and happy to set aside time to help us,” said Michael Mestitz JD ’15, President of Stanford Law Review. “More than once, I found an article or press clipping in my mailbox because Paul had seen something that related to a conversation we had, or that he thought would interest the Review. I know I speak for many students when I say he will be missed.”

This was particularly true for those with military service.

“Paul Lomio was SLVO’s first and continuous adviser,” said Jake Klonoski, JD ’13, a co-founder of the Stanford Law Veterans Organization. “Paul helped with setting up the group in 2010 and offered thoughts on how it could develop. He also supplied a steady stream of supportive articles to individual vets regarding issues on which we might focus. I talked to him about the articles he left me once and Paul mentioned that he also intended them to give comfort to student-veterans, who can find the transition back to civilian life hard. The pieces he chose often carried the implicit message that ‘you do not struggle alone.’ I personally found great comfort a number of times when I was having trouble and he left an article with a note in my basement mailbox. Paul was simply a wonderful human being.”

Distinguished in his field, Lomio also published regularly, including “Law Journals and Open Access: A Call to Action” and How to Manage a Law School Library: Leading Librarians on Updating Resources, and Managing Budgets and Meeting Expectations. As a past member of the Association of American Law Schools Library and Technology Committee, he co-authored “A Statement of Principles of Electronic Publication of Law School-Based Journals.” He was a member of the editorial advisory board of DATABASE magazine and a member of the Law Librarians’ Advisory Committee to the California Office of Administrative Law. He was also a member of the Electronic Court Filing Task Force for the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California.

After more than thirty years at the law library, Lomio had become not only a valued colleague, but also a welcoming and familiar face on campus. He was a longtime fan of Stanford sports and a 28-year Stanford women’s basketball season ticket holder. And he could regularly be seen bicycling through campus, working out at the Stanford gym, and hiking in the surrounding foothills. As faculty, staff, and students reflect on Lomio’s contributions to the law school, it is his good-natured dedication to his work that stands out.

“Stanford Law School obviously has a lot of brains, but Paul Lomio was in many ways the Law School’s heart,” said Pamela S. Karlan, Kenneth and Harle Montgomery Professor of Public Interest Law and co-director of the Supreme Court Litigation Clinic (on leave 2014-2015). “He was endlessly helpful, often figuring out what I needed before I even knew I needed it. Whether it was research, teaching materials, or stuff about which I had an idle curiosity, he was indispensable.”

“For so many of us, Paul was an invaluable member of the Stanford community, both personally and professionally,” said Deborah Rhode, Ernest W. McFarland Professor of Law. “His extraordinary talents, conscientiousness, and good humor will be missed more than I can say.”

“Paul was irreplaceable in every sense of the word,” said Robert Rabin, A. Calder Mackay Professor of Law. “He was a truly fine human being: modest, intellectually serious, and deeply committed to making the Stanford library a shining light for all of us whose work was enriched by him and his staff. Not only was he responsive to reference requests whenever and whatever I needed by way of assistance, but on countless occasions he anticipated what might be of use to me without my even asking. His passing leaves a permanent hole in my professional life.”

“There is no doubt that generations of Stanford law alumni are better scholars and practitioners because of Paul,” said Sal Bonaccorso, JD ’15. “But what I personally cherished about him was how exceptionally fair-minded and kind he was in all of our interactions. These qualities are so often overlooked but are precisely what made Paul such a great teacher and an invaluable member of the community.”

“Paul’s death is an unimaginable loss to the law school,” said Fried. “Paul was the consummate professional, utterly selfless, wise, tireless. He dedicated his life to making the school a better place for all of us—students, faculty and staff—and succeeded beyond compare.”

David Johnson

March 10, 2015 at 9:01 am

Great stewardship furthers great institutions. Great human beings make great stewards. Great minds, hearts and souls make great human beings. Paul was one of those rare human beings. I am hopeful that we will place his name permanently in the highest echelon of remembrance, as is warranted by his gifts to this institution.

Sarah Wilson

March 10, 2015 at 11:07 am

Paul was one of the greatest champions of the people and institution of SLS. As a member of the SLS library staff, I’m so sad he’s gone; I will miss him greatly. But I’m very happy he left such an inspiring legacy that will not be forgotten.

George Vizvary

March 10, 2015 at 12:08 pm

It is impossible to put into words the loss that one feels when a great guy like Paul leaves us; his character was marked by egalitarianism: always putting the needs of others in the forefront both as the director of the library and as humanist.
He inspired excellent “customer service” by his example and conscientiousness in his own professional life as a manager, teacher and co-author of a book; moreover, he also had that “touch” that would make life a bit better for students and his staff, and, I am certain, for family, friends and faculty.

Paul, I worked with you daily and can not, as of now, imagine the law library without your inspiring presence but will strive to work so that it honors your memory.
George Vizvary

Hilary Karp

March 10, 2015 at 12:31 pm

What an incalculable loss for the the SLS community, the University, his family and his friends. Paul was a scholar, a leader and in particular, an uncommonly kind person. The type of person he was is so clearly reflected in the values underlying the operations of the Robert Crown Law library.

It was my privilege to have known Paul, if only for a few years. When I first considered joining the staff of the Law Library some three years ago, after retiring from a long tenure at a value driven organization, one of the most important considerations was to be in an organization with a value system that emphasized service to be provided with a positive attitude and infused with measures of integrity, fairness and courtesy.

It’s not in what someone says they and an organization are about, but in how they actually do what they do, that tells the true nature. My first meeting with Paul and several other staff members at the library revealed the strong underlying value system that guided and still guides library operations. It takes the cooperative effort of everyone in the organization to implement these values in the day to day activities, but it is also a clear indicator of the quality of leadership at the upper levels and throughout the organization. The Crown Law library’s high quality of service is a reflection of the leadership Paul provided.

In addition to his scholarship and leadership qualities Paul showed kindness to people in so many personalized ways. I would sometimes find a clipping from Paul on my desk from a recent news publication about a topic of mutual interest relating to my previous career. He was unfailingly considerate of others needs; he always had time if you asked “Paul do you have a minute”, no matter how minor the issue might be.

Paul was unfailing in bestowing public praise on the activities of the library staff. It was a common occurrence during one of our staff gatherings (and so heartening) for Paul to speak appreciatively of the actions of one of the of the staff, highlighting the great behind the scenes work someone did in providing service to the Law School community – recognizing them for something that might not be obvious and for which they would normally not receive recognition.

We will miss Paul, his kindness, his leadership and his quiet strength.

Janet Fischer

March 10, 2015 at 12:52 pm

Taking Paul’s Legal Research course in library school 19 years ago led me to my career in law libraries. Paul was an inspiration and a great teacher. I am very sad to hear of his passing and my deepest condolences to his family and those who worked closely with him.

Barbara Babcock

March 10, 2015 at 1:03 pm

This is a beautiful and fitting tribute to Paul. I would just add that Paul came up with the idea of our
Women’s legal history website before anything like that was done. I commented to him that Erika Wayne and I were getting these great papers on pioneering women lawyers, but most of the law students did not have time to pursue publication. Paul’s idea was that we would “publish” them on-line, and he enlisted Alba Holgado to help bring it to fruition.

As a leader and administrator, Paul was exemplary. He had a great eye for talent and built an exceptional staff of people who were like himself in that they were hard workers, and took pride and even joy in the work.

Diane Rodriguez

March 10, 2015 at 1:46 pm

Thank you, Paul, for sharing your knowledge and love of law librarianship with the students of San Jose State University’s School of Library and Information Science. I learned so much from your Saturday classes at Stanford. Your passion was contagious and you made a daunting topic accessible and even fun! Thank you for helping me, and many others, get where we are today. You will be missed!

Chuck Eckman

Eugene Mazo

March 10, 2015 at 5:58 pm

When I was in law school, Paul knew of my academic interests and would often leave newspaper clippings in my mailbox. After I graduated and practiced in Palo Alto for many years, we always stayed in touch. At one point I had 160 books checked out from the law library, but Paul didn’t mind–he knew I was close by and would be a good citizen when one needed to be returned. Such acts of kindness were ordinary for Paul, but legendary to the rest of us. When I was in Palo Alto for my tenth reunion, the first person I saw was Paul. And of course, his “clippings” (by now turned electronic) continued for years and years. He would email a story here and there, always asking about my wife (a classmate) and kids, and in return always updating me about what was happening with Rita, his daughter, of whom he had every right to be so proud. After I moved to the East Coast and become a professor, Paul and I still corresponded. For 15 years now I have woken up every morning to his SLS email summaries, which he called “Academe Today” but I always affectionately referred to as “The Lomio Report.” Paul was as kind and as gentle a human being as they come.

James Liu

March 11, 2015 at 8:03 am

I was Paul’s student in his law library class which he taught at San Jose State’s Library School program in the early 1990s. Of all the instructors I had he was the most memorable because of he came across as such a good guy to me and the other students.

Robin Feldman

March 11, 2015 at 8:19 am

Paul was one of the kindest people I have ever known. It wasn’t just his brilliance at research or his organizational vision, Paul cared about what was happening for each student, each faculty member, and each alunmus. And in a quiet and understated manner, he made each of those lives better.

Miguel Mendez

Corene Kendrick

March 11, 2015 at 10:33 am

This article is a lovely tribute to Paul. Like my classmate Gene describes above, when I was a student I was a beneficiary of Paul’s clipping service. I had asked him for assistance in getting a document to use in a seminar paper; a couple weeks later he put in my mailbox some articles with a note that said he said he thought they might be of use to me for my paper. I was shocked that weeks later he had remembered (a) who I was and (b) what subject I was researching; I was more amazed that he would do this for a lowly 2L! He was always so patient and friendly (as were all of the law library staff), and I hope SLS will consider naming the library after him as a lasting tribute.

Chip Pitts

March 11, 2015 at 11:12 am

Paul was an exemplary human being as well as an inspiring and exemplary “quiet leader” — constantly supporting others in amazing and effective ways without ever seeking credit or renown for his efforts. It is a testament to his extraordinary leadership that Stanford currently has the best law library in the world, with the most caring and capable staff it has ever been my privilege to encounter. Always at the front of the charge was Paul and his incredible kindness, generosity, memory, skills, and spirit. To say that he will be missed is a gross understatement; the law library, law school, and world are inestimably diminished without his warm and supportive presence.

Kevin Lesh

March 11, 2015 at 5:56 pm

Paul is a wonderful soul in every respect. In this age of individualism and superficiality, it is increasingly rare to come across someone who is fundamentally altruistic, as Paul was. His care for people, animals, and the world as a whole was boundless; and he always provided his time and energy with sincerity, enthusiasm, and grace. He was invariably benevolent and trustworthy, professionally and personally.

A purely good spirit, Paul embodied integrity and wisdom. Though his passing is heartbreaking, let’s focus on how fortunate we are to have known him, and let’s honor his legacy by following his lead and advocating for the causes that he held dear (e.g., information access, equality, animal rights, Native American issues, etc.). While we’ll greatly miss him, he’ll always be a part of us.

Devon Cattell

March 11, 2015 at 8:57 pm

I was lucky enough to have worked in the library with Paul for 20 years. He was such a good man, more than anyone I’ve ever met, he was the personification of the “kinder gentler” philosophy. His management style of encouraging us to excel in the things we were good at, was not only good for morale, but made us all enjoy working together to make the library function at its best.

I think the magic of Paul wasn’t so much about doing the big things, it was constantly doing the little acts of kindness. He was willing to spend time on people at a time when we only seem to have time to spend on ourselves. For example when one of my photos was published and I asked about 20 of my friends if they would get a copy of the Chronicle for me because I don’t live there any more, he was the only one to take the time to get me (two) copies of it and mail them to me.

Paul was selfless in his help of others, but he had his own interests too. He liked Super Tramp’s Breakfast in America, Rocky Horror Picture Show, bicycling through nature, and watching his daughter, Rita, grow into the person he was so proud of. His concern for innocence: children, animals, nature, reflected his tender and compassionate spirit. He was so gentle that he couldn’t even eat animals. At Thanksgiving they would have a traditional Thanksgiving pizza.

I will miss Paul’s encouragement in my interests, his kind spirit, his staunch defense of the environment, his loving, giving soul. Sweet dreams, Paul – you made the world a better place.

David L. Bridgman

March 12, 2015 at 12:21 pm

My deepest sympathy to Rita and Sharon. I worked with Paul when he began, we were both reference librarians. There was never a nicer and more kind colleague and boss. He was very supportive of all the work projects we did with a great emphasis to giving the best service to both faculty and students. I never saw anyone work as hard as he did, many a time I saw him on the weekends working to his highest standards to give the best research he could give. Paul was very devoted to Rita, a great working parent is very hard to find and even harder to accomplish. I worked with him for over twenty years until I retired from the Robert Crown Law Library in May, 2004. This is a great loss to all!

Mark Mackler

March 12, 2015 at 1:33 pm

When I moved to California in the 1980’s, I met Paul for the first time. Smart and kind–a terrific combination.
After I started to work full-time at Farella Braun & Martel, Paul asked me if I wanted to “moonlight” at the Stanford Law Library. It was a long ride driving from SF to Stanford and back at night on 280, but it was worth it. It gave me the opportunity to work on the academic side of the profession, a side that I otherwise would not have experienced. I will always be grateful to Paul for his confidence in me.

Elizabeth Pollman

March 12, 2015 at 5:09 pm

Paul was truly one of the greats. I’m grateful that I got to learn from him and have the pleasure of teaching legal research and writing with him. He was a model of kindness and professionalism. He always took the opportunity to do something extra and quite wonderful.

Roberta J Morris

March 13, 2015 at 9:54 am

What sad, sad news. I was one of the many, many people who was honored to think of Paul as a friend. He and I were the same age but I always thought of him as younger in years because of his energy. I also always thought of him as much, much older because of his wisdom. Paul made everyone he talked to feel specially appreciated. Where did he find the time, let alone the generosity of spirit. He was a blessing.

Mary Minow

March 13, 2015 at 11:21 am

Paul was a mentor, a kind and generous man and librarian. I will always be grateful for his kindness when I was a law student especially. After I graduated he stayed in touch and sent me articles of interest and materials on teaching legal research. He became an advisor to the Fair Use site and did wonderful things for the larger community. He is dearly missed.

Linda Cheng

Kathleen Wilko

March 15, 2015 at 10:49 am

Paul hired me for my first job out of library school. The five and a half years I spent at Stanford working with Paul and Erika and the entire staff of the library were formative. His service ethic was infectious and he created a staff who thought first of how they could help support the mission and work of the law school. I hope I can carry his torch of service throughout my career. Thank you, Paul.

Brian Levin

March 16, 2015 at 1:59 pm

Paul like the rest of SLS faculty and staff made the school such a special place for those of us so lucky to study there. Brilliance gift wrapped in kindness, is the legacy that Paul and all the other wonderful people who made my SLS experience so worthwhile. Thank you all and rest in peace Paul.

Jennifer Granick

March 18, 2015 at 10:29 am

Paul Lomio was a wonderful man. He was deeply curious about other people, in what captivates our imaginations, and he made it his mission to keep us well informed about the things he somehow knew we wanted to know about. He promoted our good work to the University at large and he made us better at what we do. Thank you, Paul.

Jim Colopy

Robert Gaudet

March 18, 2015 at 1:27 pm

This is very sad news.
As a law student, I remember Paul as the personification of the culture of the law school, at least during that time (e.g. 1997-1998 and 2000-2002), with his gentle manner, unending kindness, friendliness, healthy lifestyle, outlook, and easy-goingness. We often exchanged hellos – he was the kind of person who was ready to share a hello, sort of like that famous Louis Armstrong song (What a Wonderful World) that says people mean “I love you” when they say hello, which is the sort of genuine feeling that Paul could convey. While in school, I saw him jogging across campus on occasion with his long, slow strides. And I also saw him on the bike.
He spoke proudly of his daughter and I send her my condolences over this great loss.
As Stanford law school greats like Gerald Gunther and Paul Lomio pass on (and as I see that Prof. Babcock now has an emeritus status so she is presumably not teaching as much as in the past), I do hope that Stanford Law School will maintain the easy-going, friendly, supportive atmosphere that I loved so much when I started out as a 1L in 1997-1998. I really thought the faculty and staff, as embodied in part by Paul, represented the most distinctive and wonderful part of Stanford Law School, distinguishing it from other top law schools with its unique California flavor.
I am sad to hear of Paul’s passing and I will miss him. When I visited the campus, once, after graduation, it was nice to say hello and see him as I walked through the library. He was full of gentle smiles, as always. I am very sorry I won’t have that chance to greet him again.
Thank you all for the comments above. I liked yours a lot too, Devon.

John Scott

March 18, 2015 at 2:12 pm

Mr. Lomio was a true gentleman and one of the kindest, most helpful people I’ve ever known. To echo Corene and Eugene; when I was drowning with a seminar paper, he was there to throw me a life preserver along with relevant clippings for my research topic. That he would do that for a student really impressed me. I wasn’t in such a great place during law school but Mr. Lomio was always very thoughtful. That meant volumes. Thank you and RIP Sir!

Peter Conti-Brown

March 19, 2015 at 5:10 am

I am heartbroken at this loss. There was simply no improving on this extraordinarily able, brilliant, kindhearted man. The first time I saw this was six years ago. I remember taking a library book with me to the hospital when GCB was born and promptly lost it because, well, there were other pressing matters that occupied my attention. It wasn’t a cheap one, and as I sheepishly confessed my sin, Paul just said something like: “Consider this the library’s gift to you and your growing family during this joyous time.”

Over the next six years the examples multiplied as I graduated from law student to academic staff. He emailed me articles of interest even as my research shifted. He collated my digital press clippings, as he did with every member of the SLS community. He sent me physical books as I’ve wandered far from Palo Alto. And he cheered me on with an almost parental affection. I miss him terribly, and express my condolences to his family and my other wonderful friends at the law library who will face their work without him.

Wendy Leibowitz

March 19, 2015 at 10:04 am

It was wonderful to work part-time in the library under Paul Lomio’s quiet, calm direction. I remember him saying that he became a law librarian because he wanted to help people without charging them. After an earthquake in 1989, when Stanford’s libraries closed and you couldn’t even get a newspaper, Paul helped those of us who were news-deprived to follow the news. Years later, when I was miserable during the practice of law, I remembered how happy he was in the non-profit sector, and I resolved to leave the law firm where I worked. He was an inspiration in ways both large and small, and I will continue to think of, and learn from, him.

Mamoru Kumamoto, Keiko Kanazawa

May 1, 2015 at 6:18 am

We are so shocked to find the news Paul is gone, and sending a message from Tokyo, Japan. In the summer of 2013, when we vis
ited the Stanford Law Library to research how to renovate our library, Paul gave us so many suggestions on the importance of
the support in the law library. It was so sad we can’t report him about our new library in 2016.

Matt Dubuque

September 29, 2015 at 5:21 pm

Oh my. What a shock. I worked under and with Paul at the Law Library for seven years. His grace, youth and professionalism were stellar. He always had this lovely Zen quality about him, sometimes somewhat inscrutable but always profoundly kind and gentle.

This is quite devastating. I am certain the Stanford Law Community will be thankful for the grace he brought to our lives for decades. May his next journey be filled with beauty and peace.

Paul Rothstein

May 17, 2017 at 5:32 pm

I graduated from the Law School in 1990, and Paul — along with Iris Wildman — was always so helpful to me. I was looking through the Stanford directory today and saw that his name wasn’t there. I just went to find out about him and learned that he passed away over two years ago. I am so sorry to hear this news. Paul was a wonderful man. My belated condolences to his family.